There’s a good reason that philosophers, who have been struggling to understand consciousness for millennia, call it “the hard problem.” Michael Pollan, triggered by his experiences in meditation and with psychedelics, decided some seven years ago to dive into the topic. In this mind-expanding conversation with Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley and author of Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life, Michael will discuss his deep dive into one of nature’s greatest mysteries: why are our mental operations accompanied by feelings, thoughts, and a subjective sense of self? From the cutting edges of “plant neurobiology,” AI, and neuroscience to insights from philosophy, religion, psychedelic exploration, and literature, he will share with us what he found: a world far deeper and stranger than we can imagine.